Sub: Geotechnical Engineering

Topic: Earth Pressure

MODULE- 50B
Earth pressure theories, effect of water table, layered soils.
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1. An unsupported excavation is made to the maximum possible depth in a clay soil having = 18 kN/m3, c = 100 kN/m3, =30 . The active earth pressure, according to Rankine's theory, at the base level of the excavation is (a) 115.47 kN/m2 (b) 54.36 kN/m2 (c) 27.18 kN/m2 (d) 13.kN/m2 A retaining wall of height 8 m retains dry sand. In the initial state, the soil is loose and has a void ratio of 0.5, = 17.8 kN/m3 and = 30 . Subsequently, the backfill is compacted to a state where void ratio is 0.4, =18.8 kN/m3 and = 35 . The ratio of initial passive thrust to the final passive thrust, according to Rankine's earth pressure theory, is (a) 0.38 (b) 0.64 (c) 0.77 (d) 1.55 A 3 m high retaining wall is supporting a saturated sand (saturated due to capillary 3 action) of bulk density 18 kN/m and angle of shearing resistance 30 . The change in magnitude of active earth pressure at the base due to rise in ground water table from the base of the footing to 3 the ground surface shall ( =10 kN/m ) 2 (a) increase by 20 kN/m 2 (b) decrease by 20 kN/m 2 (c) increase by 30 kN/m 2 (d) decrease by 30 kN/m Figure given below shows a smooth vertical gravity retaining wall with cohesionless soil backfill having an angle of internal friction In the graphical representation of Rankine's active earth pressure for the retaining wall shown in figure, length OP represents

2.

(a) vertical stress at the base (b) vertical stress at a height H/3 from the base (c) lateral earth pressure at the base (d) lateral earth pressure at a height H/3 from the base 5. When a retaining wall moves away from the back-fill, the pressure exerted on the wall is termed as (A) Passive earth pressure (B) Swelling pressure (C) Pore pressure (D) Active earth pressure If . represents total horizontal stress, total vertical stress, effective horizontal stress and effective vertical stress on a soil element respectively, the coefficient of earth pressure at rest is given by (A) 7. (B) (C) (D)

3.

6.

4.

A smooth rigid retaining wall moves as shown in the sketch causing the backfill material to fail. The backfill material is homogeneous and isotropic, and obeys the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion. The major principal stress is

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Sub: Geotechnical Engineering

Topic: Earth Pressure

10. Assertion (A): The safe height (2Z0) to which an unsupported vertical cut in clay can be mad is 4c/ . Reason (R): Active earth pressure of cohesive backfill shows that the negative pressure (tension) is developed at top level. This tension decrease to zero at depth Z0 and total net pressure up to a depth 2Z0 is zero. (A) parallel to the wall face and acting downwards (B) normal to the wall face (C) oblique to the wall face acting downwards (D) oblique to the wall face acting upwards 8. Two different soil types (Soil 1 and Soil 2) are used as backfill behind a retaining wall as shown in the figure, where is total unit weight, and c' and are effective cohesion and effective angle of shearing resistance. The resultant active earth forceper unit length (in kN/m) acting on the wall is: Codes: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A (b) Both A and R are true but R in not a correct explanation of A (c) A is true nut r is false (d) A is false but R is true 11. A retaining wall with vertical back retains a cohesion less dry backfill at an inclination of with the horizontal. The backfill has an angle of internal friction , unit weight and height of the wall is H. The passive earth pressure on the wall is given by (where Pp = Total passive earth pressure) (a) Pp (b) Pp (c) Pp (d) Pp (A) 31.7 (B) 35.2 (C) 51.8 (D) 57.0 9. A retaining wall retains a sand strata with = 300 up to its top. If a uniform surcharge of 12 t/m2 is subsequently put on the sand strata, then the increase in the lateral earth pressure intensity on the retaining wall will be 2 2 (a) 1 t/m (b) 2 t/m (c) 4 t/m2 (d) 8 t/m2 [ [ [ [

] ] ] ]

12. In a cohesion less soil deposit having a unit weight of 1.5 t/m2 and an angle of internal friction of 300, the active and passive lateral earth pressure intensities (in t/m2) at a depth of 10 m will, respectively, be (a)15 and 5 (b)5 and 15 (c)10 and 20 (d)20 and 10

13. Given that for a soil deposit, K0 = earth pressure coefficient at rest Ka = active earth pressure coefficient Kp = passive earth pressure coefficient = Poissons ratio.

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Sub: Geotechnical Engineering

The value of (1(a)Ka/Kp (b)K0/Ka (c)Kp/Ka (d)1/K0 )/ is given by (c)3 (d)2

Topic: Earth Pressure

1 3 1 2

14. Consider the following statements: Rankines theory and Coulombs theory give same values of coefficients of active and passive earth pressures when 1. The retaining wall has a vertical back 2. The backfill is cohesion less 3. Angle of slope of backfill is equal to the angle of internal friction 4. Angle of slope of backfill is 00 5. Angle of wall friction is 00 6. Angle of wall friction is equal to which of these statements is/ are correct? (a)1, 2, 3 and 5 (b)1, 2, 4 and 5 (c)2, 3 and 6 (d)1, 4 and 6

17. Given that c= 2 t/m2, = 00 and =2 2 t/m , the depth of tension crack developing in a cohesive soil backfill would be (a)1 m (b)2 m (c)3 m (d)4 m

18. The correct sequence of the given parameters in descending order of earth pressure intensity is (a) active, passive, at rest (b)passive, active, at rest (c)passive, at rest, active (d)at rest, passive, active 19. Depth of foundation depends upon (a) scour depth, minimum grip length and Rankine depth (b)scour depth, minimum grip length and depth of bearing stratum (c)scour depth, Rankine depth and depth of bearing stratum (d)minimum grip length, Rankine depth and depth of bearing stratum

15. Consider the following statements: 1. Coulombs earth pressure theory does not take the roughness of wall into consideration. 2. In case of non-cohesive soils, the coefficients of active earth pressure and earth pressure at rest are equal. 3. Any movement of retaining wall away from the fill corresponds to active earth pressure condition. Which of these statements is/are correct? (a)1 alone (b)1 and 2 (c)2 alone (d)3 alone 16. Match List-I(Type of structure) with ListII(Type of pressure exerted by sandy back fill) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists: List-I A. A masonry retaining wall founded on compressible clay B. Pressure on the back of a cantilever sheet pile wall near the embedded end C. A masonry retaining wall founded on rock List-II 1. Active pressure 2. Earth pressure at rest 3. Passive earth pressure Codes: A B C (a)1 3 2 (b)3 2 1

20. The nature of earth pressure above dredge line behind a cantilever sheet pile wall is (a) active (b) passive (c) at rest (d) active and passive

21. An earth-retaining structure may be subjected to the following lateral earth pressures: 1. Earth pressure at rest 2. Passive earth pressure 3. Active earth pressure The correct sequence of the increasing order of the magnitudes of these pressures is (a)3, 2, 1 (b)1, 3, 2 (c)1, 2, 3 (d)3, 1, 2

22. For a sand having an interval friction of 30 , the ratio of passive to active lateral earth pressure will be (a)1 (b)3 c)6 (d)9

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Sub: Geotechnical Engineering

23. When movement of a wall under the earth pressure from the backfill was prevented the coefficient of earth pressure was recorded as 0.5. The ratio of the coefficient of passive and active earth pressure of the backfill is (a)1/3 (b)3 (c)1/9 (d)9 24. Codes: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A (b) Both A and R are true but R in not a correct explanation of A (c) A is true nut r is false (d) A is false but R is true Assertion (A): Passive earth pressure is always greater than the earth pressure at rest and active earth pressure Reason (R): In passive state the structure becomes the actuating element and soil becomes the resisting element to maintain the stability. 25. The wall friction of the retaining wall (a) decreases active earth pressure but increases passive earth pressure (b) decreases passive earth pressure but increases active earth pressure (c) decreases both active and passive earth pressure (d) increases both active and passive earth pressure 26. Codes: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A (b) Both A and R are true but R in not a correct explanation of A (c) A is true nut r is false (d) A is false but R is true Assertion (A): Basement walls and bridge abutments are usually designed for earth pressure at rest. Reason (R): These are usually not restrained by the floor slab and by the deck structure at their bases. 27. Codes: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A (b) Both A and R are true but R in not a correct explanation of A (c) A is true nut r is false

Topic: Earth Pressure

(d) A is false but R is true Assertion (A): The earth pressure at rest is greater than active pressure but less than passive earth pressure. Reason (R): When the wall moves away from backfill from the rest condition, the mobilization of the internal resistance of soil occurs; on the other hand, if the wall moves toward the fill, the shearing resistance build up. 28. Consider the following statements: Assertion (A): The state of earth pressure at rest is the state of equilibrium with zero strain condition. Reason (R): In rest condition neither the wall nor the soil moves. Of these statements (a) both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A (b)both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A (c)A is true but R is false (d)A is false but R is true 29. If the coefficient of active earth pressure is 1/3, then what is the value of the coefficient of passive earth pressure? (a)1/9 (b)1/3 (c) 3 (d)1

30. Why are weep holes provided at the back of retaining walls? (a)To reduce the active earth pressure on the walls. (b)To reduce the build-up of hydrostatic pressure. (c)To provide better compaction. (d)To increase the passive earth pressure 31. What is the intensity of active earth pressure at a depth of 10.0 m in dry sand with an angle of shearing resistance of 300 and unit weight of 18 kN/m3? (a) 50 kN/m2 (b) 60 kN/m2 2 (c)70 kN/m (d) 80 kN/m2 32. When a vertical face excavation was made in a clayey silt, having density of 20 kN/m3, it failed at a depth of excavation of 4 m. What is the cohesive strength (in kN/m2) of the soil, if its angle of internal

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Sub: Geotechnical Engineering

friction (a)23.1 was (c)11.6 300? (d)10.2

Topic: Earth Pressure

(b)20.0

33. Consider the following statements: 1. The yield of a retaining required to reach plastic equilibrium in active case is more than that in positive case. 2. Culmans graphical method is simplified version of the more general trial wedge method. 3. For a masonry gravity retaining wall coulombs theory of earth pressure is preferred for designing. Which of these statements is/are correct? (a)1, 2 and 3 (b)1 and 2 only (c)2 and 3 only (d)3 only

34. The lateral earth pressure coefficient of a soil, ka for active state, kp for passive state and k0 for at-rest condition, compare as (a)k0<ka<kp (b)ka<k0<kp (c)ka<kp<k0 (d)kp<k0<ka

35. Consider the following statements regarding Coulombs theory of earth pressure: 1. It is based on wedge theory of earth pressure 2. It assumes the wall surface to be rough 3. It may or may not satisfy the static equilibrium condition occurring in nature. Which of these statements are correct? (a)1, 2 and 3 (b)1 and 2 only (c)2 and 3 only (d)1 and 3 only

36. A wall with smooth vertical back and 10 meters height retains cohesion less material with a horizontal surface. The cohesion less material weighs 4.91 kN/m3 and has an angle of internal friction of 30 0. The total active earth pressure is a). 81.585 kN/m length of wall b). 91.585 kN/m length of wall c). 40.743 kN/m2 d). 8.158 kN/m2

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